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My friend is paying me to paint his tau army in a pearlescent scheme, and wants the paint to look somewhat like this http://i.sawblade-tx.com/donebike2.jpg

whats the best way to achieve that particular look? or anything close to it?

Car model paints. I used the flip tone green/purple/gold on my tau. They are not acrylic though, they have lots of colors to do.

http://www.liquitex.com/iridescentmedium/

Mix with any acrylic pigment to make a pearlescent effect.

The particle size makes it less smooth on tiny wargame models. Like pixel size, if you will.

Yea auto paint, it isnt cheap or easy but like women, cheap and easy is never condusive to good in the end.

Remember the only way to get the effect to "Pop" will be many thin layers many many thin layers.

I know exactly how to do that, how much do you want to pay me to find out?

A.

If you genuinely want a pearl, you're best off buying some pearl paint as mentioned.

If you want something like a candy rather than a pearl, you can use Alcad and then overcoat it with a candy paint. You could try using Alcad and then coating with a metallic... not sure how that'd turn out.

Had thought that model car spray paints come in a variety of pearlescent colors, but I'm finding less of them than I remember. Looks like Terstors has discontinued many of their pearl colors.

here is a lest of model sparys, but there is not hot orange:http://www.scalehobbyist.com/catagories/browse.php?kw=pearl

Tamiya makes TS-45 Pearl White Spray Lacquer which could be used as a base coat for a candy orange to get the color you are looking for. They also make some pastel pearl spray paints.


The hardcore alternative is automotive pearl paints which you would need to mix and spray through a spray gun or airbrush.

https://www.kustomrides.com/killerpearls.html

http://www.tcpglobal.com/Customshop/kspearl.aspx

http://www.shop.thecoatingstore.com/KemBase-Pearl-Color-Base-Clear-Motorcycle-Paint-Kits-PGC-MOTOBCKIT.htm?gclid=CIeSpIu_nLwCFas9QgodKiYAmQ

Another option is to buy pearl pigment and add it to a clear water based acrylic paint: http://www.paintwithpearl.com/

There are a number of craft paint makers that make pearls that could be airbrushed:

Look specifically at the pearls here:
https://www.decoart.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=D&Category_Code=DM

Delta/Ceramcoat used to make a line of pearls (I have yellow and orange pearls), but seem to have cut the color choices to a very few: http://www.plaidonline.com/delta-ceramcoat-acrylic-paint-2-oz/158/product.htm

Look for Pebeo paints, they do a whole range of pearlescent paints, you need a decent thinner to make them workable but have a good look when they are used properly.

If you're looking pearlescent, I've found that using colored pearlescent ink mixed with a similar color of paint applied in thin layers works wonders, but does take a bit of experimenting to get it right. I've found the bigger surface you paint the better the effect shows up. The ones I use are called FW Inks.

Saw a tutorial using black then vallejo model air aluminium and Tanya clear paints. Look in the tutorials section of dakka.

Reaper sells a Pearl White color in their Master Series paint line.

I've seen a really impressive iridescent line of paints at a major shop here in Tokyo. Unfortunately, I can remember the name, but I can confirm it looks good on a small scale.

Based on that motorcycle part you linked, I think you could get a similar effect by mixing vallejo metallic medium with the colour of your choice.

Actually createx has several "pearlazied' colors in their airbrush line, I have used them before for a very gaudy commission...